Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi’s diatribe against media owners is not without merit. If the proposed Broadcasting Bill facilitates a discussion on the way the media function, we need to welcome it. While the ratcheting up on the supposed attack on freedom of the press in the Bill is good, even it is unfounded….
Category: Ownership
Senate panel backs telco bill, no Net neutrality
A Reuters report by Jeremy Pelofsky says: “The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee approved sweeping communications reform legislation on Wednesday that would make it easier for telephone companies like AT&T Inc. to offer subscription television to consumers.But the panel narrowly rejected attempts by some lawmakers to strengthen safeguards on Internet service, which had pitted high-speed Internet,…
The definition of net neutrality
Here’s what Susan Crawford thinks about Net Neutrality. She’s a professor at the Cardozo School of Law and on the Board of Directors of ICANN. Now we’ve got http://www.savetheinternet.com/. Follow the blog for the lastest on the issue.
Serving the public
The notification of 24 sports events that private broadcaster have rights for will henceforth be shared with Doordarshan. But for broadcasting these “events of national importanceâ€, Doordarshan is expected to “pass on 75 per cent of the revenue”. The issue has been settled with the consultation with the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, Prasar…
Basis of media reform
If public interest is the basis of media reform then the professional and economic independence of media practitioners is a yardstick to measure the scenario. From the multi-edition big newspapers to the small town tabloids a de-unionised workforce is the norm. The implications are manifold: contract labour, job insecurity, harassment of various kinds and so…
Subhash Chandra-zee
Subhash Chandra, who started off as a vegetable oil manufacturer, now lords over the Zee-Essel group. The group is an “indigenous” media conglomerate with its hand in practically every media pie. But Zee did have close business links with Rupert Murdoch’s Star group. Zee’s market capitalisation this year stands at Rs.57,297 million up from Rs.55,358…
The Bill of Media Rights
The Bill of Media Rights ostensibly concerns the media situation in the United States. But please do read the Bill. We in India too are in need of a “free and vibrant mediaâ€. While for media owners the rising newspaper circulation figures are indicative of markets unexplored, it cannot be the view that the readers,…